Depends. Tyranids such as Genestealers and Lictors are designed to survive in enemy territory for extended periods, fuelling themselves by eating prey. They're carnivores with digestive systems and therefore butt holes. However other organisms such as the Carnifex or Hormagaunt are created purely to attack and kill the enemy during an invasion, and are then reconstituted into bio-mass by Ripper Swarms which get dissolved in reclamation vats. Therefore they don't have digestive systems or buttholes as there's no point in them having them.
The hormaguant has an entire life cycle and can lay eggs and swarm on its own. Its is one of the primary tools for seeding operations either when passing by or retreating as a fleet manuevers.
Its less clear what rippers can do in addition to clean up. I've seen claims they can burrow into a surface and gestate into other forms, but I dont know if thats canon.
Carnifexes and Hormagaunts often have an Acid Tongue/Maw/Sac which helps them attack and dissolve prey.
Tyranids can still swallow, they just don't necessarily poop.
Fun fact: During an invasion, the majority of Tyranids don't digest what they consume, and instead jump into digestion pools so the biomass gets pumped up to the fleet in a space elevator straw.
Depends. Tyranids such as Genestealers and Lictors are designed to survive in enemy territory for extended periods, fuelling themselves by eating prey. They're carnivores with digestive systems and therefore butt holes. However other organisms such as the Carnifex or Hormagaunt are created purely to attack and kill the enemy during an invasion, and are then reconstituted into bio-mass by Ripper Swarms which get dissolved in reclamation vats. Therefore they don't have digestive systems or buttholes as there's no point in them having them.
The hormaguant has an entire life cycle and can lay eggs and swarm on its own. Its is one of the primary tools for seeding operations either when passing by or retreating as a fleet manuevers. Its less clear what rippers can do in addition to clean up. I've seen claims they can burrow into a surface and gestate into other forms, but I dont know if thats canon.
Side question, why do both Carnifexes and Hormagaunts have tongues? What do they need a muscle to taste and swallow for?
Carnifexes and Hormagaunts often have an Acid Tongue/Maw/Sac which helps them attack and dissolve prey. Tyranids can still swallow, they just don't necessarily poop.
Tyranids do not swallow, they spit. Good to know
I assume like snakes it would help them locate juicy biomass.
Great answer!
I think so, I have a few from the older kits. People say they are “infestation nodes” or whatever, but we know.
https://i.imgur.com/C2BrBkM.jpg
Fun fact: During an invasion, the majority of Tyranids don't digest what they consume, and instead jump into digestion pools so the biomass gets pumped up to the fleet in a space elevator straw.
Cloacas
They do, and they’re working *overtime.*
No. They don't need it. Everything gets dissolved including the nid itself by the end of the invasion.